Threads of Inspiration
by Mindy the Magical Moose
Summary: Marinette tells Alya the story of how she learned to embroider after the hat competition. It also deals with Mari's Relationship with her grandmere in China. This is not a ship fic. This i my first Fanfiction ever so please give lots of feedback. Thanks comments and reveiws are appreciated.


Threads of inspiration

"Wow, Marinette I can't believe you managed to call out Chloe on taking your design like that. You were totally calm about it too! I am proud of you, girl." Alya gushed for the fortieth time since they left the competition. Marinette blushed as they entered her family's bakery and said, "Oh, it really was not all that impressive Alya!"

Alya raised her eyebrow as she turned to put down her school bag by the stairs, "Really, Mari? The fact that you managed to be calm around Adrien Agreste was a miracle. Not to mention your incredible bowler hat. Where did you learn your killer embroidery skills anyway?"

As silence followed, Alya turned to find Marinette standing as if trapped in a daydream containing a familiar blond model. With a sigh of exasperation, Alya waved a hand in front of Marinette's face, "Earth to Marinette! Have you been listening at all?"

"Huh!?" cried Marinette with a shake of her head. "Oh! Alya I'm sorry. What were you asking me?" Alya smiled knowingly and shook her head. "I was just asking where you learned to embroider so well. Seriously girl, you are beyond amazing at it!" Marinette looked wistful for a moment. "Embroidery was the first thing I learned about art and about fashion. You-" Intrigued but thirsty, Alya cut Marinette off saying, "if you are going to tell a story, we are going to need some tea and possibly food." Marinette rolled her eyes and walked toward the kitchen. "Very well, Alya, we will have some tea and pastries." "And I will go get your balcony ready, and then you will finish your story." Alya called out as she ran up the stairs. Marinette laughed and continued to put together

After much deliberation on what tea to drink, the two friends settled into the patio chairs on Marinette's balcony. "So, where was I? Oh yes, I was about to tell you the story of my inspiration." Marinette began before being cut off by Alya. "Whoa Girl! Hold up! I thought this was the story of how you learned to embroider?!" "It would be if you would stop interrupting me," Marinette said with a smirk. Alya exclaimed, "Fine!" and sat back in her seat with a grumble only to bounce back up again blurting. "Ooooh! May I please use this story for the article I am writing about you winning the fashion contest for the school blog? I'm writing about what inspires each of the contestants to be designers." Leaning away in surprise, Marinette tentatively consented to Alya's plea. Pleased, Alya set up her phone to record the conversation and sat back saying, "Alright continue." Marinette rolled her eyes and started her story once again.

"It all began on my fifth birthday, when my Nǎinai Yawen, My grandmere, came from Sichuan to visit. She brought me a beautiful red dress with black embroidery on it. I remember being intimidated by her at first, because she hardly spoke any French. I was rather skittish around her."Marinette giggled, "It seems silly now, but when I was small it made perfect sense. I actually wouldn't really interact with her without my parents until one night I saw her sitting in our parlor sewing. I sat on the stairs to watch her every night after I was supposed to go to bed. She is an amazing seamstress, and as a child I was entranced by her quick fingers."

Suddenly, the trapdoor to the balcony swung open revealing Sabine holding a plate of fresh baked buns. Seeing that she had startled the girls, she quickly said, "Sorry for interrupting you, but I thought you might want some of the fresh brioche buns I made this afternoon." "Mama, there was really no need to bring us anything else to eat," Marinette said as she stood up, knocking over her chair in the process, to take the platter from her mother and help her get up to the balcony. Alya on the other hand was ecstatic, "Thanks, Madame Cheng! Brioche buns are one of my favorite pastries!" Sabine smiled, "It really was no trouble at all. I made extra, and I wanted you to taste it fresh out of the oven." After a slightly awkward silence, Sabine said, "Anyway, I really should be getting back to the bakery. You girls have fun, alright." "Thank you Mama!" Marinette called after her mother's descending figure. As she turned back to the table, Alya said, "Your parents always make the best food. Anyway back to your story."

"Right, um… Where was I?" asked Marinette. "Wait, I remember now. I would watch her sewing from the steps. Well, on the third night of her visit she caught me watching her. Mind you I was terrified that she was going to punish me. Instead, she beckoned me to come and sit with her and she began to show me how to embroider at a basic level. She would call me bǎobèi , and we would sit and embroider and talk in a strange hybrid version of French and Sichuan Mandarin. I cried so hard when Grandmere Yawen had to go back home to China. I made her promise to write to me. She made me promise to practice the stitches she had taught me. It was ultimately embroidery that led me to discover fashion design. She always encouraged me, and every time she visited she would teach me more about different sewing techniques."

Marinette sighed heavily, "I always loved her visits, but when I was eleven she started to get chronic rheumatoid arthritis. She couldn't sew as much as she used to and her mobility became an issue as well. Her visits got farther and farther apart until she could no longer visit us. We went to visit her a couple times but…" Tears welled up in Marinette's eyes as she continued to speak, "Sh-she stopped being able to sew without pain, and was unable to do what she loved. So, started to send her updates on my progress and even things I made." Marinette began full on sobbing, "I-I just want her to know that everything she loved about sewing and embroidery and even design will be kept alive. That it will live on in me and my-my designs! I want to show the world what my amazing Nǎinai Yawen taught me!" Alya was in tears at this point as well, and she wrapped her arms around Marinette saying softly, "Oh Marinette, I am so sorry" Marinette whispered, "I *sniff* miss her so much *sniff* we haven't been able to visit her for two years. She is the *sniff* reason I want to be a fashion designer. I want to make her proud." Ayla smiled and said, "I am positive that your Grandmere would be proud of you!" Marinette sniffed a few times before she fully calmed down, and then they sat looking out over the city for a while. Then Alya spoke up, "Hey, didn't you have more than one design for the bowler hat?" Marinette nodded. "Well then, let's see them then."Alya cried. Marinette nodded again, "ok."

~Fin~


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